Unloading end frame of a die-loading belt conveyor of ceramic materials

ABSTRACT

An unloading end frame of a die-loading belt conveyor includes elements about which the belt winds at least partially during motion thereof. The elements comprise a plurality of small-diameter rollers ( 3 ) arranged consecutively to one another, each of which is supported at ends thereof by support elements ( 4 ). The small-diameter rollers ( 3 ) are arranged consecutively to one another is such a way that axes thereof form a broken line.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an unloading end frame of a belt conveyorcarrying ceramic materials.

BACKGROUND ART

Specifically, though not exclusively, the invention is applied inloading dies for for the formation of ceramic tiles in devices generallyknown as double-loading devices, usually structured so as to depositinternally of a forming cell of a die a layer of powder material, whichis usually laid on top of an already-deposited layer of powder material.

These devices operate in combination with usual means for loading(drawers or trucks) a press, using various devices among which conveyorbelts exhibiting an unloading frame which moves alternatinglyhorizontally above the cell in synchrony with the other means forloading.

The operation of these devices is proportionally better in relation tothe overall width of the unloading frame (and therefore the beltconveyor), and also in relation to the rigidity and geometricalstability of the structure and the geometrical configuration of theunloading frame.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,218 discloses a carrier for supporting a portion ofa belt comprising first roller means for supporting the midsection ofsaid belt and second roller means for supporting the side sections ofsaid belt. Each of second roller means have shaft means which have innerends pivotally mounted on a support fixed to the frame of the carrierand outer ends supported by means that adjustably se cure said outerends to respective upright posts fixed to the frame of the carrier forvarying the angular position of the second roller means relative to thefirst roller means to change the cross sectional concave contour of thebelt.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,227 discloses an idler assembly having an idler rolldisposed on an inclined axis, a bracket for supporting one end of theidler roll, pivot means for pivotally mounting said bracket to permitthe inclination of said idler roll axis to be varied, a second bracketlike the first bracket for supporting the other end of the idler roll,and means adjustable upwardly and downwardly and pivotally connected tosaid second bracket to selectively adjust the position of said other endof th idler roil to thereby selectively set the inclination of the axisof said idler roll.

GB 1,494,960 discloses an adjustable support mechanism for conveyormechanism including an endless load-carrying belt, the support mechanismproviding inclined surfaces for supporting marginal edge portions of theload-carrying belt to cause the belt to trough and comprising a pair ofsupport assemblies disposed in use one on each side of the conveyor,each support assembly including at least a pair of support bracketswhich are to be spaced apart longitudinally of the belt and capable ofbeing secured adjustably to respective mounting brackets, each supportassembly including also a carrier assembly and a plurality of rollers,each carrier assembly being pivotally adjustable on the supportbrackets, screwthreaded adjustment means being provided for adjustingthe inclination of each carrier assembly on said support brackets forvarying the degree of troughing of the belt.

The prior art all presents drawbacks with regard to the above qualities.For example, the width of the unloading frame is very limited. A furtherproblem in the prior art is that it is difficult to maintain the rightperfectly-centered and guided tension on the belt during movement abovethe underlying cell. This difficulty is manifested in the use of widebelts (2-3 meters and more) whose use is made practically impossible inknown applications.

The main aim of the present invention is to obviate these limitationsand drawbacks in the prior art.

An advantage of the invention is its simplicity.

A further advantage consists in its modular structure.

These aims and advantages and more besides are fully achieved by thepresent invention as it is characterised in the claims that follow.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention willbetter emerge from the detailed description that follows of a preferredbut non-exclusive embodiment of the invention, illustrated purely by wayof a non-limiting example in the accompanying figures of the drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic lateral view in vertical elevation of theinvention in an intermediate operative configuration during a workcycle;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is part of a section made according to line III—III of FIG. 2.

With reference to the figures of the drawings, 1 denotes in its entiretya belt conveyor whose unloading frame is part of a device often termed adouble-loading device, which is associated to a die for forming ceramictiles and which is structured to deposit a layer of powder material 8inside a forming cell; generally on top of a lower layer of powders 7previously laid by a usual loading drawer or truck.

The layer of powder material 8 is normally prepared on the “upstream”part of the upper branch of the belt 2, not shown in the figures.

The unloading frame of the belt conveyor 1 is made to alternate abovethe cell 9 of the die 6, in the direction indicated by the arrow 10, insynchrony with the movements of the other loading means which load thelower layer of powders 7, not shown in the figures.

The unloading frame comprises a bearing structure which includes atransversal bar 5 fixed to the ends of horizontal rods 11.

The bar 5 supports a plurality of small-diameter rollers 3 arrangedconsecutively on which the belt 2 at least partially winds.

Each of the rollers 3 is supported and constrained to the ends ofsupport elements 4 which are mounted on the bar 5.

In particular, the small-diameter rollers 3 are arranged consecutivelyone after another in such a way that the axes thereof form a brokenline.

The support elements 4 are mounted on the bar 5 by screw-connectionswhich can be adjusted so that the distance of the ends of the singlerollers 3 (to which the support elements 4 are constrained) from the bar5 axis can be regulated or calibrated.

The rollers 3, which in a preferred embodiment are identical one toanother, constitute a modular structure which in its entirety forms astrong rotating body which is well-supported and on which the belt 2winds to form the end or frame of the belt conveyor 1.

The rotating means is very rigid independently of its overall length.This rigidity depends on the flexional deformability of the singlerollers 3 and the bar 5.

The ability to regulate the distances of the ends of the single rollers3 (using the support elements 4) with respect to the axis of the bar 5means the reciprocal arrangement of the rollers 3 can be conformed toshape the belt 2 as required to obtain the desired centring.

The small diameter of the rollers 3 means that almost independently ofthe width of the end frame (and obviously the belt) the mass of thedevice can be reduced and therefore the distance of the layer ofmaterial to be unloaded, with the result that the dropping distance ofthe powder materials is reduced and the best dropping distance for thepowders can be optimally calculated.

The size of the support elements 4, which is less than the rollers 3(the size in section is less than the diameter of the rollers 3), andthe short distance (10-20 mm) between the single rollers 3 mean that asingle belt 2 can be used for even considerable widths (2-3 meters andmore). The belt 2 can be wound on rollers 3 over the whole width of theend frame, without interfering with the support elements 4.

1. An unloading end frame of a die-loading belt conveyor comprisingmeans about which the belt winds at least partially during motionthereof, the means comprising a plurality of small diameter rollers (3)arranged consecutively to one another, each of which is supported atends thereof by support elements (4); the small-diameter rollers (3)being arranged consecutively to one another in such a way that axesthereof form a broken line; wherein the support elements (4) and a bar(5) on which said support elements are mounted are of a breadth whichdoes not exceed a diameter of the small-diameter rollers (3).
 2. Theframe of claim 1, wherein the support elements (4) can be regulated. 3.The frame of claim 2, wherein the support elements (4) can be regulatedwith respect to the bar (5) by means of a screw connection.
 4. The frameof claim 1, wherein the small-diameter rollers (3) together make up amodular structure.
 5. The frame of claim 2, wherein the small diameterrollers (3) are identical one to another.